ICE deports fugitive wanted in Poland for reckless homicide

CHICAGO – A Polish national – who is wanted in his home country for killing a pedestrian by driving recklessly – was deported and turned over to Polish law enforcement officials Tuesday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Bartosz Sikorski, 32, departed Monday from Chicago via commercial flight and arrived in Warsaw, Poland, Nov. 27.

The Bialystok Criminal Court in Poland issued an arrest warrant for Sikorski Oct. 9, 2002 on charges of reckless homicide. He is wanted in connection with a traffic fatality June 8, 2002 that killed a pedestrian. Sikorski was allegedly driving recklessly disregarding the speed limit when he hit a woman who later died at the hospital.

Two months later, Sikorski fled to the United States in August 2002, entering on a visitor's visa. He remained in the United States illegally after his visa expired in June 2003.

In March 2007, Sikorski was convicted in Cook County for felony theft by deception. He was encountered by ICE officers at Cook County Jail in November 2009 and placed into removal proceedings.

On March 24, 2010 a federal immigration judge in Chicago ordered Sikorski to depart the United States voluntarily and gave him until April 22, 2010 to comply. He became an immigration fugitive when he failed to comply with the immigration judge's order.

ICE's Fugitive Operations Team officers arrested Sikorski April 26, 2012 and took him into custody pending removal to Poland. ICE officers turned him over to Harwood Heights, Ill., police after their records checks revealed an outstanding criminal warrant for Sikorski in Harwood Heights. He was convicted May 24 of illegally using an account number, which is a felony. On June 5, Sikorski was released from the Cook County Jail.

In August, ICE received information from the FBI that Sikorski was wanted on an active arrest warrant in Poland. On Oct. 4, ICE officers and FBI agents took Sikorski into custody outside the Cook County Jail where he had been detained on local charges and released.

Sikorski has remained in ICE custody since Oct. 4 until he was turned over to Polish authorities Tuesday.

"This man allegedly killed an innocent pedestrian in Poland and then fled to the United States to avoid facing justice for that crime," said Ricardo Wong, ERO Chicago field office director. "We will continue to tirelessly pursue criminal fugitives who seek safe haven in this country."

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 500 foreign fugitives from the United States who were being sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. ERO works with ICE's Office of International Affairs, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the country.